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What I would do first… a missive

From a Facebook question about the solutions solving the energy dilemma

Since you asked, I think I would like more efficient use of the products we use today. let me give you an example, The internal combustion engine has been around for about 130 years now and while it is has improved over the years, in terms of the energy conversion from it toxic and explosive fuel to the kinetic energy of driving a piston is still quite inefficient. the exhausts emissions from a typical automobile are evidence enough. There is plenty of room for improvement if we were to demand it.

Another example is the electrical grid, I would say it is common knowledge that is is old and inefficient and the infrastructure is suffering but the true issue is the appalling loss of inefficiency and effectiveness from the generating plant to transmission stations to the last mile (the home or business) work must be done to not only work to improve the infrastructure but make it an opportunity to improve the systems fundamentally using new technologies to become less costly and allow more efficient transfer of energy from the transmission to the consumption.

The third (and second to last) builders have to build better designed home with efficient heat and cooling system suited to the prevailing climate and environmental conditionals.. I dont think much can be done about older homes although the ability to retrofit solutions are there. environmental controls are not the only considerations. We have the ability to build intelligence into the homes and management of resources( i.e. Lighting, drainage and waste consumption) In my view, this is something that needs to be done.

The last thing I would like to do is (in my perfect world) is remove the necessity of reacting to crisis by taking a very proactive approach to creating solutions to problems. I perceive that the prevailing wisdom is to “ignore the problem until becomes a crisis” or “if it isn’t broken, dont fix it”. These mentalities are obsolete and mindset are required to change and this is one thing I would change if it were in my power.

While I have many more suggestions but these were the first things that came to mind. Information, education and engineer can and will address these issues but it will be later not sooner, and will be more expensive & more disruptive.

It is always better to be thoughtful than reactive given these prospects.